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With this post I have the honor of featuring the gifted Blue Squares parasol by Lily-Lark HERE. Though I'm an ardent fan of headwear, this parasol provides another glorious option for sun protection. After all, since large brims don't always provide shade for the entire face are not usually my first choice of head beautification, as portrayed in these photos, this gorgeous parasol is a welcome and stylish addition to my accessory collection. Handmade by artisans with custom printed fabrics and bamboo frames in Chiang Mai,Thailand HERE, the Lily-Lark parasol is produced in the "Parasol capital of the world." Who knew

NEWS FLASH! I am thrilled and honored to be included in Jo Weldon's new book hot off the press, FIERCE, The History of Leopard Print. Jo included a photo of The Style Crone in the chapter, "A Brief History of Vintage Clothing." I've been in love with leopard print, since the 1970's, when I began wearing and collecting vintage. I have leopard print everything: hats, clothing, jewelry, shoes, and it can be seen throughout my home adorning pillows, rugs, chair coverings, and on and on. It has been popular in every era that I've experienced during my life, and I don't see

Wherever I travel I always search out milliners. My trip to San Francisco with Mr. J in June was no exception. I discovered DeAnna Gibbons HERE, milliner extraordinaire, and spent several hours in her studio enthralled by her exquisite headwear, her artistry, and her kind and generous response to my visit. The headpiece named “Pinkie," a hand-draped parisisal straw with chenille edging on velvet headband, immediately caught my attention. It now has its special perch in the hat room, and has already made an appearance in Denver when I was interviewed by the Daily Blast Live, a national TV show

It gives me great pleasure to mix pieces from my travels, both home and away. Vintage with contemporary. Disparate countries and regions of origin. Contrasting colors and textures. Discovering what somehow fits together in a composition is both challenging and meditative. Sometimes ideas come to me in yoga or spontaneously pop into my mind as I wander through the rooms of my home and my closets. My entire home has become my studio and for now, it fits for me. Creativity is my drug of choice. On a hot and windy day in Denver, Daniel and I traveled to the

Earlier this week I was honored by a piece in 303 Magazine HERE , a Denver lifestyle, fashion, culture and entertainment publication published by 303 Mixed Media Agency. 303 provides daily original content across the social web to its audience, and has been in the publishing business for over 14 years. The article was written by the extraordinary, talented and beautiful Karysma Hicks @karysmadanae who I met at an event earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed the interview with Karysma , which along with the photos published in this post, are included in the piece in the magazine. Karysma is 22,

I love traveling with Mr. J. We explore new cities and countries together in harmony, seeking out diversity and the beauty of the areas that we visit. I find that it expands my understanding of differences and exposes me to new people, cultures, and lifestyles. Below I've compiled a list of the gifts that travel provides. You may have other benefits that you've experienced in your life which I would love if you would share in the comments below. Improves social and communication skills. Creates memories. Helps you achieve original and creative thoughts. Broadens your horizons. Enhances your tolerance for

July's Hat Attack is a stunning piece of wearable art by the talented Carrie Jenkinson of Carrie Jenkinson Millinery HERE based in the UK. This wonderful rainbow feather fascinator headpiece mounted onto a millinery headband is the perfect festive accessory for a special event. This headpiece is the definition of "show stopper." Or "show starter," which might be a better description! Carrie Jenkinson's Biography Carrie Jenkinson Millinery is a Wiltshire-based fashion design company that was officially established in 2011 by Carrie Jenkinson. The fashion designer has achieved a lot within such short period of time and her beautifully designed and created

The news of Kate Spade's death by suicide saddened me for days. Then came the account of Anthony Bourdain's death by the same cause and my sorrow intensified. Two incredibly talented and accomplished stars were gone from the planet forever. The loss of their brightness cast a long shadow across my internal landscape. Several years ago I discovered this green Kate Spade bag at a consignment shop. It has flourished in my bag collection. I have enjoyed the bright color, size, and shape of its high quality leather. I suspect it will always be with me. This piece of art

During the month of April I was driving on my way to visit a friend when I happened upon an estate sale sign, which took me off my intended path for a few blocks. As I reached my destination and entered the beautifully designed space of the sale location, I was rewarded with several rooms of clothing that fit me perfectly. As you can imagine, I contacted my friend to tell her that I would be late. I learned from the estate sale company which was managing the sale that the woman who lived in the house had died. I

It was a cold and rainy day in Denver and Union Station was the place to be. It gave me the opportunity to wear boots, which will most likely be the last time before summer's heat takes me into sandals and slides. These beauties by the German company Trippen make me feel elevated and called for this vintage yellow feather hat with wisps of black. This chapeau has been calling to me since it was gifted by a wonderful and generous woman during a holiday season a year and a half ago. I was thrilled when I received it and

June's Hat Attack is a handdyed ombre parisisol top hat which milliner and creative genius Cha Cha HERE designed in collaboration with Andria, one of the owners at Salmagundi HERE, a wonderful hat shop in Boston. The top hat is trimmed with a navy blue satin ribbon, natural peacock swords and handmade straw swizzles. The crown is hand sculpted to give it a bit more undulation. As a fan of top hats, I can't wait to wear this out to dinner or to a party. I've adored Cha Cha's designs for years, and her distinctive style is very recognizable. This new

A few weeks ago Mr. J and I traveled to Atlanta where he was presenting at a conference. It was my first time in this beautiful city and I had the good fortune of visiting my gorgeous and talented friend, blogger and voice over artist Jean of Dross Into Gold HERE (on Instagram). As I've mentioned before on Style Crone, Jean was the first blogger that I met shortly after launching my blog in 2011. As we walked through Jean's home, where she lives with her musician husband Joey, filled with art and the garments that she has upcycled

Have you ever walked into a store and had the feeling that you were in a special space? That you were surrounded by beauty and a sense of wonder? A store that felt like a gallery, yet warm, welcoming, and inviting? This is what happened when I entered Two Sole Sisters HERE , a shoe boutique with locations in Denver's Washington Park area and in Boulder. Owned by sisters Lindsey and Laurel Tate, the store is a reflection of their creativity and dedication. I believe that I've found two women who are as passionate about shoes as I am

Recently I was part of a photo shoot featuring the designs created by my friend Brooks Luby HERE, Denver fashion designer extraordinaire. The shoot took place at the Maven Hotel HERE, which promotes Colorado artists. The definition of the word "maven" is someone who is skilled in a particular field, often crafting handmade items. This term describes Brooks to perfection and she chose the ideal location to highlight her latest designs. It was a privilege and honor to work with the beautiful model Mallory High. In the above photo we are wearing Brooks' lifestyle mesh tops, which come in mocha, navy, or

May's Hat Attack is the spearmint ostrich feather explosion by Alexandra Harper Millinery London HERE. I love how the feathers cascade from the headband and softly caress my face. Feathers and the flowers at Union Station Denver HERE somehow bloom together. With this post I'm excited to reveal Style Crone's new look. After blogging for almost eight years, an update was long overdue. This is a step forward and represents a commitment to continue. Thank you to all followers and those of you who comment on Style Crone. I am deeply grateful! BIOGRAPHY: Alexandra Harper London-based milliner Alexandra Harper designs and

My 97-year-old mother Norma transitioned two weeks ago, just short of her 98th birthday. The photo above was published on Style Crone during a visit a few years ago. She will be greatly missed by many for her resilience, intelligence and inspirational approach to life. She was fiercely independent since my father died 22 years ago, and could never resist a good game of bridge. She approached aging with a positive mindset and was an inspiration for everyone that she knew. She had friends of all ages, and was especially fond of her 17 grandchildren. Mom in 1938 at the

April's Hat Attack is a wide-brimmed purple fur felt chapeau trimmed with feathers, which was originally gifted to my hat shop partner's mother Doris during the days of our hat shop in the 1980's. She wore it frequently, and after she died, my hat shop partner Mary Lou was seen wearing this beauty out and about in Denver. When Mary Lou died about nine years ago, this purple beauty was passed on to me. Since then, this hat has been perched in my hat room, on one of the higher hanging racks on the south wall, as though it were

Spring has arrived at the Denver Botanic Gardens HERE, as evidenced by the extensive field of daffodils which greets passers-by on the periphery near the entrance. The Gardens have been providing backgrounds for my photos intermittently over the almost eight years that I've been blogging. I was thinking about these daffodils when I chose this yellow felt structured beret, created by milliner Mademoiselle Slassi HERE,as a punctuation mark to my green, black and white plaid jacket trimmed with orange and white buttons. It's transition time in the hat room, which takes several weeks to complete. During this seasonal change, I

This monochromatic composition has been waiting in the wings for the snow that I knew was inevitable. The month of March is typically the Front Range of Colorado's snowiest month of the year. Sure enough! A white carpet greeted me on the morning before the first day of spring. It was the perfect day to walk the short block to City Park dressed in white and cream. There's something about snow in the spring that lifts my spirits. It feels clean and refreshing, as though the earth is setting the stage for new beginnings. I can feel it in the air.

Today is my 75th birthday. The Ides of March. I've been thinking about the birthday posts that I've done in the past over the years. I have never gone back to read previous posts since I began Style Crone on July 13th, 2010. I've always moved forward, never looking back. Today I did the unimaginable and did just that. I pulled up my very first post. The photo that I published was taken on my 67th birthday, though it was actually July when I launched Style Crone. At some point I would love to take the time to revisit all